NO HUNTING – A neat deal for the neighbors

[Hamilton Reef]

In the White Lake Beacon, October 13, 2002, 7B is a notice that Montague Township, Muskegon County, closed the Clear Spring Nature Area to most hunting. The article was titled "No firearms this season at preserve. That article is not online.

The park property is a mile down the road from me. The township asked me to help them get the NRLTF grant after they failed on the first try. I did help with the second grant to preserve hunting in Montague Township and after two years we got the property. I wrote the following as what they did 'not' tell the public in the WL Beacon article.

NO HUNTING – A neat deal for the neighbors

Most of the neighbors around the Montague Township’s Clear Springs Nature Park in Muskegon County are avid deer hunters. When they found out developers were about to pay $1M for the 94-acres for subdivision homes, the neighbors got the township to apply for a $700,000 Natural Resources Land Trust Fund grant and $250,000 Montague Township loan debt to purchase the land for $950,000.

Before the park was purchased there was little hunting on the park property as the previous property owner was a non-hunter. The neighbors enjoyed “their” deer adjacent to their properties. The park is now natural, protected from developers, and the neighborhood deer hunting is preserved.

Now that the park and deer habitat is secure, the neighbors do not want any competition from other deer hunters adjacent to their properties. One of the adjacent neighbors sits on the Montague Township board. He and other neighbors moved the Montague Township board to give them “NO HUNTING” in their new park.

There was one minor problem. The $700,000 NRLTF grant was applied for and granted to provide hunting opportunities for the public! To get around this Montague Township will allow a few ‘bow hunting only’ permits during the freezing cold December 1 and January 1, 2003. This season was deliberately set by the township to be after the neighbors are done hunting their deer in October and the November rifle season.

Clear Springs Nature Area is really a $950,000, 94-acre deer sanctuary for the adjacent deer hunting landowners.

In summary, $950,000 public money as NRLTF and Montague Township funds were used to keep a subdivision development out of the adjacent landowner’s back yards. After they got their park they then had Montague Township vote out public hunting to keep the park property for themselves as no subdivision and no hunting competition! At the end of the regular deer seasons, after the park neighbors are done hunting the boundaries of their private deer sanctuary, only a select few bow hunters will be allowed in to freeze in the December cold. The public will most likely not harvest any deer. The $700,000 NRLTF grant could have gone to dozens of other more honest hunting properties around the state

[Hamilton Reef]

This is all the White Lake Beacon has online concerning the hunting closure at Clear Springs Nature Preserve.

ATTENTION DEER HUNTERS
At the Township Board meeting held on October 8, 2002, it was decided that NO HUNTING will be allowed at Clear Springs Nature Preserve, with the exception of Bow-hunting only from Dec. 1, 2002 to Jan. 1, 2003. All firearms will not be allowed (rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader). Contact Wesley Weesies, 894-5920, with any questions. Wesley Weesies, Clerk

Here is the retyped article that was in the WLB, October 13, 2002, 7-B.

No firearms this season at preserve

There will be no hunting with firarms this season at Clear Springs Nature Preserve in Montague Township.

Township officials moved last Tuesday to post the 94-acres at the preserve with "No Hunting" signs this year in a move to prevent hunters with firearms from hunting on the property. However, bowhunters will have access tot he property, but only between Dec.1,and Jan.1, 2003.

Bow hunters must obtain a permit to hunt the property from township office.

Wes Weesies, township clerk, said, though the township has allowed hunting with firearms in past years, concerns for the many snowmobilers and cross-country skiers that use the property all winter caused the board to change its hunting policy, which will be reviewed in one year.

Weesies said there have been no shooting mishaps in the past, but more cautionary approach to the property's use was needed. He said snowmobilers have created trails off of Walsh Rd. which skirts the southest corner of the reserve property, paralleling east along Fruitvale Rd. Snowmobilers are not allowed to ride near the pond, said Weesies.

Weesies said, though the board had some concerns about the use of firearms, it didn't fell there was much danger from allowing bow hunters on the property, who generally shoot from much shorter distances.
The end******

Well note all the references to snowmobiling. Normally how deep is the snow in October? October is the bowhunting season for the park neighbors that don't want other hunting competition, so they ban hunting using snowmobiles as their excuse? Is there one year in 5-10 with ample snow in November? The same snowmobile excuse is used for November when the neighbors don't want other rifle hunters near their baitpiles close to the park borders.

They then open up bowhunting in December after the neighbors are done hunting, but no bowhunting in October? "Weesies said, though the board had some concerns about the use of firearms, it didn't fell there was much danger from allowing bow hunters on the property, who generally shoot from much shorter distances." What is the diference between December bowhunting and October bowhunting other than early season competition to local neighbors? The 900-acre Weesies Farm is across the road from the park. Hmmmm......

Montague Township took out a $250,000 loan to buy the park for the neighbors. Payments are $2000/month with $1000 on the principal and $1000 for interest. At the end of all the payments would the total township loan be closer to half-million dollars?

No Hunting is a neat deal for the neighbors.

[trout]

Wow thats Crazy!